Résumé

Pathological gambling is a complex disorder, resulting from the interaction of many risk and vulnerability factors including the gender. Recent works have reported an increase in the prevalence of both recreational gambling and pathological or problem gambling among women. Little is known on this subject. In this context, the goal of this article is to study features according to the gender of gamblers who start a treatment. To do so we have focused on their gambling trajectory, from their engagement into gambling up to the access to treatment, going through a regular gambling and then the first gambling-related problem. The current study found that females suffer more from mood disorders and anxiety than males. Females prefer “pure chance games” and gambling offline. They initiate gambling older than males and have a trend for negative reinforcements (such as fight boredom) which is a “risk factor” of becoming problem gambler faster specially for female gender. Social phobia is another “risk factor” of becoming problem gambler faster whatever the gender. Our study found some variables which could delay the onset of treatment: major depression episode secondary to problem gambling and online gambling whatever the gender. Thus we need to be vigilant with gamblers regarding these variables, in order to prevent and to diagnostic problem gambling faster and then to initiate treatment.

Abstract

Pathological gambling is a complex disorder, resulting from the interaction of many risk and vulnerability factors including the gender. Recent works have reported an increase in the prevalence of both recreational gambling and pathological or problem gambling among women. Little is known on this subject. In this context, the goal of this article is to study features according to the gender of gamblers who start a treatment. To do so we have focused on their gambling trajectory, from their engagement into gambling up to the access to treatment, going through a regular gambling and then the first gambling-related problem. The current study found that females suffer more from mood disorders and anxiety than males. Females prefer “pure chance games” and gambling offline. They initiate gambling older than males and have a trend for negative reinforcements (such as fight boredom) which is a “risk factor” of becoming problem gambler faster specially for female gender. Social phobia is another “risk factor” of becoming problem gambler faster whatever the gender. Our study found some variables which could delay the onset of treatment: major depression episode secondary to problem gambling and online gambling whatever the gender. Thus we need to be vigilant with gamblers regarding these variables, in order to prevent and to diagnostic problem gambling faster and then to initiate treatment.